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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24456307">The Two-Body Problem</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunny_Bexster/pseuds/Sunny_Bexster'>Sunny_Bexster</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pacific Rim (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Nerdy Flirting, Pre-Slash, Science Husbands</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:40:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>889</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24456307</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunny_Bexster/pseuds/Sunny_Bexster</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermann has a theory he wishes to run past Newt.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Two-Body Problem</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Newton, if I may interrupt your sordid attempts at undertaking legitimate scientific experiments,” said Herman, every vowel and consonant clipped like a lawn in South West England on a bank holiday weekend. “I have a theorem I would appreciate input on from a neutral source.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Newt, submerged up to the elbow in kaiju entrails, shrugged. He extracted his arms with an audible ‘schlorp’ and wiped them off with a rag as he walked across to Hermann’s chalkboards. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermann cleared his throat as loudly and politely as possible. “Now,” he said, tugging at the cuffs of his meticulously pressed shirt. “Even with your undeniably, ah...limited lack of knowledge of advanced mathematical postulation, you will no doubt be casually aware of the two-body problem-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m aware,” said Newt, crossing his tattooed arms as he surveyed Hermann and the chalkboards. Boards, plural. A normal scientist, a </span>
  <em>
    <span>modern</span>
  </em>
  <span> scientist would be using a holoprojector by now. Chalk was for your great-grandfather’s science.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very good” replied Hermann, but his tone sounded like Newt’s answer was anything but. “Now, the two-body problem unsurprisingly involves two entirely separate but comparable objects whose respective forces are generated, for want of better parlance, entirely for the use and benefit of the other…” Hermann paused as he clasped his hands together, in fear they might start gesticulating. “And to the exclusion of all other forces.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Newt raised his eyes and tilted his head to indicate, ‘yes, I get this but I still don’t entirely get </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have been giving some thought to this matter as I believe there is more to this than a situation simply involving two bodies focused, perhaps not entirely but largely on each other…for instance--” Hermann walked to the left-hand chalkboard and raised it up with a clack, revealing a clean, blank chalkboard beneath. “Let us assume that our first force” there was some cursive scribbling on the board, with a barely restrained flourish “Body A if you will, has adjusted its orbital trajectory and in doing so has, by intent or omission, intersected with what shall henceforth be referred to as Body </span>
  <em>
    <span>B</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning his back on Newt, Hermann lost himself in drawing his diagram, his long arms sweeping circles of chalk across the board, little flicks of movement labelling key parts. Newt watched, intrigue growing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whilst my initial reaction to dismiss Body A’s interactivity with Body B as being that of mere gravitational happenstance proved unproductive, it did prompt further consideration as to how such a circumstance may occur and where, if at all, it would develop further...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a brief pause as Hermann listened out for the sounds of Newton’s patience growing thin. Apart from the usual background groans and hubs of the lab, there was only an obedient, invested silence. Hermann took this as an indication to proceed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If we accept that Body A is, ah, destined to spend it’s existence in an elliptical orbit with Body B, then it would pose an interesting scientific possibility to introduce variables that would irrevocably alter the trajectory of these two bodies - agreed?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You...want to smash planets into each other?” asked Newt, raising a single sceptical eyebrow over the frame of his glasses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, do not reduce my hypothesis to something so crass and simplistic.” Hermann, amazingly, drew himself a little straighter. “What I am proposing, Newton-” he managed to make the name sound like an insult, something bandied around an office until someone made a complaint to Human Resources “-is to try and organically redirect the paths of these two intertwined but non-interacting entities via significant, measured changes to their environment and stimuli.” He rapped on the chalkboard with his knuckles. “A feat far more nuanced than simply ‘smashing planets together’...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What stimuli?” asked Newt, his interest still thoroughly peaked despite Hermann’s condescension</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermann appeared, for the briefest of seconds, flustered. He fidgeted with his waistcoat, eyes cast down at the tweed and buttons to avoid Newt’s expectant gaze. “Well, ehm, for starters...one would suggest a forced environmental change. New surroundings can and frequently do trigger new reactions and behaviours from a baseline biological perspective. It is worth studying if this theory carries over to our two aforementioned Bodies A and B.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Newt narrowed his eyes as his lips fought against twitching into a small smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Secondly, but of comparable importance is the reformulation of existing patterns insofar as triggering an almost completely alteration in the prescribed conduct--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hermann, are you...are you asking me out on a date?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The question echoed about the lab, causing Hermann to freeze mid-way through his four-point scientific proposal. He swallowed, the collar of his shirt suddenly uncomfortably taut despite being measured exactly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe I have outlined my proposition quite clearly.” He gestured to the chalkboards, knowing he was speaking quietly but feeling like his answer was ringing in his ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Newt snorted “you’re such a weirdo.” He shook his head as he walked back to his quickly spoiling kaiju remains. “Dinner at eight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermann had too much dignity to allow himself to look surprised or excited so nodded. Once, just once. “Yes. That appointment suits my schedule.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually, better make it nine” said Newt, thrusting his arms back into slimy, purple guts “there’s some markings on the second lower intestine I’ve been meaning to get a good look at…”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is my first attempt at writing Science Husbands and I perhaps shouldn't have tried to combine wine, flirting and mechanical theorem.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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